Drop-wire latching device



Nov. 14, 1961 c. s. ADAMS DROP-WIRE LATCHING DEVICE Filed March 6, 1959 [/Vl/f/VTOR. Cecil 5.140 010:

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,008,285 DROP-WIRE LATC'HING DEVICE Cecrl Simpson Adams, Greenville, S.C., assignor to .danlrs, Inc., Greenville, S.C., a corporation of South are ma Filed Mar. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 797,799 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-81) This invention relates to a drop-wire latching means, and more particularly to a device for latching a drop wire of a Spinning frame or roving frame out of operation during the piecing-up operation, or when starting the machine.

In the spinning operation yarns lead from the drawing rolls to the spindles by way of flyers or spinning In order to stop the machine when a yarn breaks or acquires excess slack, a slack detector is used. Such detector is usually in the form of a drop-wire located between the drawing rolls and the spindle. Such dropwire causes stopping of the machine by operation of a suitable knockoff or by closing a relay circuit which opens the driving motor circuit.

This invention is concerned with a stop motion wherein the drop-wire is associated with a switch in a conventional relay circuit, such as that referred to in US. Patent No. 2,754,653, issued July 17, 1956. When a ma- 1 chine is stopped for piecing-up a broken yarn, or when starting up after a shut-down, yarns may be slack. A slack yarn can cause its associated drop-wire to operate the stop means and again stop the machine.

The broad object of this invention is the provision of means to prevent operation of the stop motion by slack yarns when starting up after a shut-down or after a piecing-up operation.

A specific object is to devise a unitary device embodying a stop switch enclosed in an individual housing and having a drop-wire connected thereto, together with individual latch means carried by the housing for holding the drop-wire in its normal operating position.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a latch for a drop-wire which will prevent the wire from moving in either direction from its normal operating position.

These and other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary end elevational view of a portion of a spinning or roving frame embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view of the device as shown in FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a drop-wire operated switch showing the drop-wire latching means in operative position;

FIG. 4 is an end view, showing the drop-wire latch in solid lines in its operative position, and in dotted lines in its inoperative position; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a drop-wire operated switch showing a modified form of latching means.

Referring now to the drawing, parts of a conventional roving frame, such as that illustrated in the US. patent referred to above, are shown in elevation.

This machine includes a set of drawing rolls 12 mounted on a beam 14, and spindles 16 mounted on a rail 18. Bobbins 20 are mounted on the spindles and the spindles carry flyers 22 at their upper ends, all operating in a known manner. A sliver 24, from a source not shown, passes through a condensing guide 26, and is drawn to a roving 28 in the usual manner. The roving 28, in the stretch between the drawing rolls 12 and the flyer 22 passes through the eye 30a of a drop-wire 30 mounted on the switch 32.

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The switches 32 may be constructed and mounted according to US. Patent 2,754,653. Each switch comprises a housing 34 having a cover 36. The switch mechanism contained in the housing 34 forms no part of the present invention, and need not be further described, one suitable construction being fully disclosed in the aforementioned patent. A pair of conductors within the housing terminate in lugs 38, 40, engageable with conducting strips 42, 44 mounted on the flange 14' of the beam 14. Preferably conductor strips 42 and 44 are embodied in a container strip 41 formed of insulating material, as in Patent 2,754,653. The strips 42, 44 are connected in a suitable relay circuit, such as the circuit of the electromagnet 18 shown in Patent 2,754,653. Each switch 32 is fastened to the connector strip 41 by suitable screws 46 passing through the slots 48 in the housing 34. A switch stem 50 is rotatably mounted in the housing 34 and projects outwardly beyond the cover 36. A drop-wire 30 mounted on the stem 50 holds the switch contacts open when held in a vertical position by roving 28 passing through eye 30a. Should a roving 28 break, drop-wire 30 will swing to the right or to the left, to a position such as 30', for example, as shown in FIG. 2, and the contacts in the switch 32 will close the circuit to a relay or electromagnet to operate the stop motion and stop the machine.

In order that a slack yarn or roving will not operate to again stop the machine after piecing-up and starting, the drop-wire 30 may be latched in a position with the switch contacts open, as will now be described. A latch 52 is pivoted to the switch housing and comprises a substantially U-shaped resilient wire bow or bail with arms or side members 56 adapted to functionally engage the end walls of cover piece 36, the ends of arms 56 being bent inwardly and being received in holes formed in the end walls of cover 36 and located on an axis 54 passing horizontally through the middle of the cover 36. Thus the bail 52 is pivoted to swing about the axis 54 between two positions. In FIG. 4, the latch 52 is shown in solid lines in its operative position and in dotted lines 52 in its inoperative position. The yoke or middle portion of latch 52 is provided with a laterally extending V-shaped detent or loop 58 which forms a pocket or notch for receiving the drop-wire 30 in the operative position of the bail, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and holds the dropwire 30 in vertical position, thus preventing closing of the switch contacts.

When not in use, the latch 52 is moved manually to the dotted line position of FIG. 4, and as shown in FIG. 1. When it is necessary to hold the drop wire 30 against movement, the latch 52 is moved manually to the solid line position of FIG. 4 and as shown in FIG. 3. In this position the drop-wire is inoperative to stop the machine.

In FIG. 5 is shown a modified form of drop-wire latch. The switch casing and the drop-wire mounting are the same as in FIGURES 3 and 4, but the drop-wire latch 152 is different. It is formed of spring wire one end of which extends down into a vertical hole 154 in the top wall of cover 36 and is anchored to the casing. The wire extends from 154 horizontally above the top edge of cover 36 to the middle of the casing where it is bent towards the front and then towards the rear to form a rearwardly facing V-shaped hook or notch 160. The terminal portion of the wire is bent forward to form a loop 161 which projects rearwardly over the top of cover 36, and the end of this loop is bent down to over-hang the top edge of the cover as at 162. Normally the spring mounting of latch 152 tends to rotate the latch about its mounting point 154 until the tail 162 engages the front of cover 36. Thus, normally the drop-wire is disengaged from the latch, which is located to the rear of the drop-wire-and does not interfere with its operation.

When it is desired or necessary to prevent rotation of the switch stem, the drop-wire is turned beyond the end 162 of the latch 152 and then the latch is pulled outwardly until the drop-wire may be turned back under loop 161 and returned to vertical position. When the latch is released, the dropwire will be engaged on opposite sides by the two sides of notch 160 and will be held in vertical position, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the rovings 28 are all taut enough to support the drop wires in upright position, the latch 152 may be disengaged therefrom, to allow the drop wires to swing freely to the dotted line position of FIG. 2, when necessary. Since the latch 152 is made of spring wire of small size, it may be released from the drop-wire (or applied to the drop-wire), without moving the drop-wire from vertical position, by pulling the tail piece forward and then raising it until the loop 161 is clear of the drop-wire.

I claim:

1. In a drop-wire assembly, a casing containing a stop switch, switch operating means pivoted in the casing, a drop-wire mounted on said switch operating means, said drop-wire having a portion at the free end thereof engaging a textile strand normally to hold said drop-wire in a normal operating position where said switch is open, latch means mounted on said casing, said latch means being movable from an inoperative position out of engagement with the drop-wire to an operative position engaging the drop-wire to prevent movement of the dropwire from its normal operating position, said latch means comprising a bail member pivoted on the casing and having portions frictionally engaging spaced portions of the casing in its operative and inoperative positions.

2. A drop-wire assembly according to claim '1 wherein the casing is substantially rectangular and the bail is U-shaped with the side members thereof engaging opposite sides of the casing, and the yoke of said bail having a V-shaped loop extending laterally from the center thereof.

3. A drop-wire assembly according to claim 1 wherein the latch member comprises a resilient wire member fixed at one end on the casing and having at its other end a V-shaped hook portion positioned to engage said drop-wire to latch the same against movement from its normal operating position.

4. In a drop-wire assembly, a casing containing a stopswitch, a switch-operating shaft pivoted in the casing on a horizontal axis and having an end portion extending out of the casing, a drop-wire having one end thereof secured to said end portion and having a yarn-receiving eye at the other end, said drop-wire operating to hold said switch in open position when said drop-wire is held in vertical position by a yarn passing through said eye under normal tension and being operative to close said switch upon tilting in either direction from said vertical position, and latch means mounted on said casing and being movable from an inoperative position out of engagement with the drop-wire to an operative position engaging the drop-wire at a point between said shaft and said eye, said latch having portions engaging opposite sides of said drop-wire to prevent movement of said drop-wire in either direction from said vertical position.

Scott Aug. 1, 1933 Adams July 17, 1956 

